Electrolytic cell



H. I. ALLEN.

ELECTROLYTIC CELL.

APPLICATION FILED APR.29, I920- Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT I. ALLEN, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, ASSIGNOR T0 ELECTROIT CHEMICAL COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

ELECTROLYTIC CELL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

Application filed April 29, 1920. Serial No. 377,537.

T 0 (ZZZ 20710221 it may concern.

Be it known that I, HERBERT I. ALLEN, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Electrolytic Cells, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electrolytic cells of the general character of those illustrated in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,148,274, dated July 27, 1915, in which the cathode compartments are removable from the sides of the cell body.

The present improvement relates more particularly to the construction of the cathode members of the cell by which a greater active surface is secured.

On the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 illustrates in front elevation a cell embodying the present improvements.

Fig. 2 represents a vertical transverse section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1

Fig. 3 illustrates one of the cathodes detached.

Fig. 4 illustrates in section another form of cathode plate embodying the present improvement.

The cell body comprises a base 10, upright end walls 11, and the freeboard side walls 12. Below the freeboard walls, the cell body is provided with lateral openings as ordinarily. The top of the cell may be closed by a cover 13 as ordinarily. The anode consists of a plurality of upright graphite or carbon bars 14, 15, which eX.

tend down through the apertures in the cover 13 and rest upon pins or studs 16 of glass, porcelain or some other inert material. Secured to these upright bars 14 and 15, are horizontal bars 17, 18, respectively, by'means of graphite pins or suitable fastening means. The bars 14 and 15 are recessed to receive the horizontal bars 17 and 18. The bars 17, 17, or 18, 18, are Vertically spaced one from the other, and their ends terminate short of the end walls of the cell. The bars 14 and 15 are spaced apart as far as is permitted by the width of the freeboard section of the cell so that the bars 17 and 18 project into the openings in the sides of the cell. A cathode chamber is aiforded on each side of the cell by a rectangular frame 19 formed of an angle bar which is U-shaped in cross-section, and the outer wall of each cathode chamber is Letters Patent hereinbefore referred to,

namely by upright clamping bars 22, bolts 23 and nuts 24 this particular feature forming no part of the present invention.

Each cathode consists, as a whole, of a plate which has a flat marginal flange adapted to be clamped against the side of the cell body, and with longitudinally extending grooves or corrugations to register with the adjacent horizontal bars of the anode, the ends of the corrugations being closed by walls integral with the body of the plate. This construct-ion is clearly illustrated in Fig. 3, which shows an end portion of one of the cathode plates; that is, the plate is provided with a flat marginal flange 25 which extends around its four sides. The plate is formed with the corrugations 26, 26, which are parallel and which extend from the marginal flange 25 at one end of the plate to the marginal flange at the other end of the plate. At the end of each corrugation, there is a wall 27 which forms a closure for the pocket formed by the corrugation, and which lies at an angle to the plane of the marginal flange. These end walls of the several corrugations have interior faces which are active and which are related or spaced from the ends of the horizontal anode bars.

the cathode plate, includin the corruga- The active portions of tions 26 and the end walls 2 are provided with numerous perforations for the passage of the effluent from the cell. As a matter of construction, each plate may be formed in three parts; that is to say, a flat plate may be first corrugated so as to form the upper and lower marginal flanges 25 and the intervening corrugations 26, the ends of the plate including the end marginal flanges and the walls 27 may be stamped from sheet metal, the walls 27 bent to a suitable angle, and the three parts thus formed autogenously welded together to provide an integral plate such as shown in Fig. 3.

Between the cathode and the anode there is located the usual diaphragm of asbestos paper or other equivalent material which will permit a relatively free percolation of the electrolyte therethrough. This paper is so laid that it bears against the inner surface or face of the'cathode, and needs no suptained in such electrolyte and the formed formed complementally thereto.

caustic soda. Such leakage would inevitably happen were it not for the fact that I have provided the walls 27 which are integral with the corrugations and with-the marginal flange of the plate. Inasmuch as the walls 27 are active and are properly related to the ends of the anode, I accomplish two results; that is, I prevent deterioration of the walls 27 and also secure a. greater active cathode surface than would otherwise be possible. It is quite evident that, instead of having the horizontal bars of the anode circular in cr0ss-sect1on,'they might be square, oblong or of other angular form, in which case the corrugations of the cathode plate would be For example, in Fig. 4, I have shown how the corrugations of the cathode plate may be angular instead of curved.

I do not herein claim specifically the construction illustrated, described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 377,536, filed April 29, 1920.

Having thus explained the nature of my said invention and described a way of making and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it maybe made or all of'the modes of its use, what I claim is:

1. A cathode for electrolytic cells, consisting of a metal plate having a flat marginal flange on all its sides, and having parallel corrugations closed at their ends by walls integral with said plate.

2. A cathode for electrolvtic cells, consisting of a metal plate having a flat marginal flange on all its sides, andhaving parallel corrugations closed at their ends by walls integral with said plate, said corrugations and the end walls thereof being perforated.

3. A cathode for electrolytic cells, consist ing of a metal plate having a flat marginal flange on all its sides, and having parallel corrugations closed at their ends by walls integral with said plate, said corrugations and the end walls thereof being perforated and said flange being imperforate.

4. In an electrolytic cell, the combination with an anode. having parallel convex surfaces. and a cell body containing said anode and having an open side. of an exterior cathode chamber. and a diaphragm and a cathode clamped between said cathode chamber and the side of said cell body,,said cathode consistingof a perforated plate having corrugations registering with the convex surfaces of said anode. the corrugations terminating in active end walls.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

HERBERT I. ALLEN. 

